Industry or practice for first job

[Adam678]

I’m 26 y/o male, a non graduate with good A levels, looking to get into my first accountancy role.
Would you choose between a job in industry offering 21k or a job in practice offering 16/17k starting. My aim is to end up in practice.

Might I add I have financial commitments that would mean a salary of 16/17 would be a serious push.

Any advice would be appreciated, many thanks.

 

[SteveHa]

If your goal is to work in practice, then you have already answered your own question.

I have to say, however, that 16/17K is on the low side. What prior experience do you have?

 

[Adam678]

0 job related experience, i can only bring my AAT level 2 to the table.

How easy is it to transfer over to practice from industry after say 2/3 years? Would you have to start from the bottom in practice still? Is anything transferable from industry? Or is it really chalk and cheese? Thanks

 

[SteveHa]

It's chalk and cheese. This is why accountancy PBs won't issue a practising certificate to industry accountants looking to set up their own practice without first getting relative experience.

 

[STDFR33]

If I was going into practice now, it would be for a tax role.

Practice work for accounts seems to be getting closer and closer to management accounting style reporting, so you might as well get paid more for doing so in industry.

 

[MyAccountantOnline]

I’m 26 y/o male, a non graduate with good A levels, looking to get into my first accountancy role.
Would you choose between a job in industry offering 21k or a job in practice offering 16/17k starting. My aim is to end up in practice.

Might I add I have financial commitments that would mean a salary of 16/17 would be a serious push.

Any advice would be appreciated, many thanks.

If you aim to end up in practice I'd start in practice.

Bear in mind you'll need a practising certificate if you intend to be a qualified accountant. Do a bit of research on the requirements for a practising certificate from the body you intend to qualify with.

 

[MyAccountantOnline]

If I was going into practice now, it would be for a tax role.

....

I actually remember a former boss telling me exactly that 30 years ago

 

[FC@Agency]

Hi

Moving from practice to industry can be tricky, practices seem to dislike industry experience. The few people I have of moving from industry to practice have had to "star over". Conversely, moving from practice to industry is relatively common.

 

[Clearaccy]

I would recommend going in to practice purely for the experience. You will gain more experience looking after various clients rather than working on the same company every day.

 

[Nick Dewdney]

Practice will open up a lot more opportunities long term and better experience, better to go that route, your earnings will rise quickly so don't be to fixated on first year earnings.